“Cultural wisdom enriches design outcomes to move us into a new era of being.”
Connecting with Country
We partner with Traditional Owners and Custodians to uncover and embed living wisdom of place that has shaped Country for millennia.
We go beyond one size fits all frameworks. Each project needs its own carefully considered journey that upholds cultural protocols to achieve meaningful outcomes.
In partnership with design teams, we build capacity to integrate cultural wisdom into the bones of a project - transforming the industry through practical experience.
From inception through to completion and beyond.
We deliver:
Place-specific cultural wisdom mapping
Traditional Owner and Custodian-determined methodologies
Feasible co-design opportunities
Engagement facilitation and project collateral
Connecting with Country and engagement reports
Design advice and workshops to uphold cultural integrity
Projects we support:
Business case development
Site analysis and feasibility
Concept design through to full master plans
Redevelopments and design and construct
Major infrastructure
Why Connecting with Country matters
When you design spaces this way, something remarkable happens:
Country heals, plants and animals flourish and waterways become healthier
Community connection grows stronger - people feel more connected to place and each other
Everyone learns - the spaces become informal classrooms about 65,000 years of rich local living history
The area becomes more vibrant - authentic places attract people and investment
Benefits multiply over time - each positive change creates more positive changes
We ensure cultural commitments made at project beginning are upheld throughout delivery:
Traditional Owners and Custodians remain centered and respected
Ways of working and cultural protocols aren't diluted
Design teams are enablers and build on-the-job experience
Gifted wisdom is cared for, not exploited
Community receives direct long-term benefit
We're the mechanism that prevents Connecting with Country from becoming tokenistic, box-ticking or extractive.
Our approach
Frequently Asked Questions
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We go beyond the guidelines to provide tailored approaches for each project. We recognise each Traditional Owner and Custodian group has a different way of working and that’s what leads us forward.
We believe Aboriginal-led Connecting with Country gets the best outcomes for Country, community and Culture. We have a cultural responsibility to uphold cultural integrity throughout the project lifecycle and beyond.
Country and culture leads, design follows.
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We see ourselves as a member of the Design Team. We attend meetings, provide advice and support and workshop designs throughout the program. We bring Design Teams along the journey of Connecting with Country. We’re passionate about uplifting the sector and setting new precedents.
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The goal is to create healed places - places that acknowledge the full history of these lands and waters, the truth about impacts to Country and culture from colonisation. Its a step toward building a future that includes everyone.
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Similarly to our position on the International Indigenous Design Charter, we deeply respect Aboriginal ways of working and cultural protocols. We recognise that Traditional Owners and Custodians have many forms of cultural expression and that each Country is unique. We don’t want to prescribe or dictate approaches; we amplify voice and create the right spaces for cultural wisdom sharing.
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Engagement isn’t consultation. It’s relationship-building, understanding cultural protocols that vary by Country, navigating complex community dynamics, and holding space for Traditional Owners and Custodian informed decision-making. It means knowing when to slow down, when to redesign, when to defer. It’s translating between worldviews without losing meaning.